Budget on a Stick

Returned and refreshed from my travels, I focus this week’s discussion on some of the major news of the past 2 weeks, primarily the budget battle that almost led to a government shutdown and was averted (literally) in the final hours. How similar / different was this battle from the shutdown that occurred in 1995? I also focus on the gross mischaracterization (as framed by the GOP) of Planned Parenthood and the preventative health services that they provide, and my issue with trying to force ideological issues (on either side of the isle) by way of dangling the federal budget as a carrot. The discussion turns to tax cuts, spending, the economy, our national debt and the current budget deficit. Next, I give my assessment of the likely field of potential GOP candidates and some of the obstacles that I can foresee. With Gingrich, Palin, Trump, Santorum, Bachmann etc all completely sucking the air out of the room (and news cycle) for the more serious candidates, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for those who actually have a chance, to gain any traction amidst the noise.  No serious GOP candidate (Romney, Huntsman) can embrace the Tea Party or the “birther” movement. Therefore, for the ones that do, they accomplish nothing more than splitting the primary votes / support and weakening the GOP’s chances of selecting a competitive candidate in 2012. Is the fact that there is no truly interesting and exciting candidate the reason that the likes of Donald Trump is able to garner attention…and is he really running or just using this as a self-aggrandizing marketing stunt for his TV show?   Side Note: I intended to record a second segment this week, but realized I had essentially covered most of what I wanted to discuss and would have just babbled on for another hour…and nobody wants that. ;) www.stimulatedboredom.com